Oil burner



'June 17, 1947. H. M. REEVES El AL- 2,

OIL BURNER Filed Dec 6. 1943 4 2 Sheets- 85061; ,1-

7 June 17, 1947. REEVES ET AL 2,422,209

OIL BURNER Filed Dec. 6. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented June 17, 1947 on. BURNER Herbert M. Reeves and Leslie F.Vixler, Kankakee, Ill., assignors to Florence Stove Company, Gardner,Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 6, 1943,Serial No. 513,016

Claims. (Cl. 158-91) The invention relates to improvements in liquidfuel burners and more particularly to burners of the so-called pot typeadapted for burning oil.

One object of the invention is to provide a burner of the above generaltype having a fuel burning receptacle or pot .and a bafile structurewhich embody novel features of construction and which are arranged tocooperate in a novel and advantageous manner to provide improvedperformance at low fuel feeding rates as well as efficient performanceat medium and highfuel feeding rates, to provide rapid change from lowfire to high fire operation when the fuel feed is increased, and toeffectually eliminate pulsations of fire when operated at low orintermediate fuel feeding rates.

' It is also an object of the invention to provide I a pot type oilburnerof simple, sturdy construc-' tion, which is inexpensive tomanufacture yet efiicient and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention an upstanding flange l0converging inwardly towards the central'axis of the opening. Fuel oil issupplied to the pot 5 through a pipe under control of conventional fuelfeeding devices (not shown) which determine the feed rate in well knownmanner.

To obtain uniformly efiicient performance of the burner under widelyvarying fuel feeding rates we construct the pot 5 of generally sphericalform and provide therein a baffie structure it. of novel andadvantageous construction. The pot provides in its lower part, that is,below a, median plane,

a fuel vaporizing zone l3 having radially diverging side walls [4, Theupper part of the pot 5 forms a chamber l5 having side wallslliconverging radially to a central outlet ll. The fuel vaporized inthe'zone l3 is'mixed \with air admitted through air inlet ports I8 inthe walls I4 and I6.

By reason of the spherical contour of the-pot, liquid fuel delivered tothe vaporizing zone is confined to a relatively small area when the feedrate will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferredembodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a sectional View of a liquid fuel .burner embodying thefeatures of the invention,

the section being taken in a vertical plane substantially on the linel-] of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the burner.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially onthe line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the ballle units forming a. partof the improved combustion zone defining structure.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, we have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, the liquid fuel burner selected to illustratethe invention comprises a fuel receptacle or oil pot 5 adapted to besupported within a stove or furnace casing 6 of any preferred type. Asherein shown, the pot 5 ls supported on a horizontal partitioning memberI extending transversely across the casing 6 and dividing it intovertically spaced air and combustion chambers 8 and 9. The partitioningmember I is formed with a central opening for the recep-- tion of thepot 5. which opening is encircled by is low but is permitted to spreadover a progressively larger area as the feed rate is increased. Uniformvaporization of the liquid fuel and consequently eflicient comb'ustionis thus obtained at all feed rates within the limits for which the potis designed. The diverging sidewalls 4 permit the vaporized fuel toexpand as it rises through the vaporizing zone and, in combination withthe bafile structure 12, thoroughly mixes the fuel with the air enteringthrough the ports l8 thereby insuring complete and clean combustion ofthe fuel.

To simplify the manufacture and assembly and to facilitate replacementand repair of worn or broken parts, the pot 5 is preferably constructedin two sections, namely, a bottom member 20 and .a top. member 2|,whichmay conveniently take ripheral flange 24 formed around the larger end ofthe member is adapted to register with the flange 22 of the bottommember, the flanges preferably meeting on the medial plane of the pot.The outer edge of-the flange 24 may be turned down as at 25 to assist inproperly alinpartitioning member I.

into a generally cylindrical neck 26 which en circles and defines thecentral outlet I1 previously referred to. p

Means of a simple yet efiective character is provided for holding thetop and bottom members of the pot in assembled relation and forsupporting the assembled structure on the partitioning member I. Thismeans, as herein shown, comprises a plurality of L-shaped brackets 29,one of which is shown in Fig. 1. One leg of the bracket is spotwel'ded'or otherwise suitably attached to the inner surface of theflange ID with the other leg projecting inwardly substantially flushwith the lower surface of the The said other leg of each of the brackets29 is adapted to extend over the flange 24 of the top member 2| and isthreaded for the reception of a clamping screw 30 which acts through aV-shaped clamping member 3| to clamp the flange 22 of the bottom member20- firmly against the lower face of the flange 24 and to support theweight of the pot.

Complete combustion of the fuel and air mixture produced in the pot 5 isinsured by supplying a relatively large quantity of air through anannular passage 33 defined jointly by the partition flange I and theside walls I6 of the pot member 2|. As the side walls of the pot areheatedduring the operation of the burnerythe air flowing through thepassage 33 is preheated before its delivery to the combustion zone.

Bosses 34 (Fig. 3) struck inwardly from the upper end of the flange l0engage the neck 26 0f the pot to hold the parts in uniform spacedrelation thus providing an annular air discharge'port 35 for the airpassage 33. An. inwardly tapering fire ring 36 of cast iron or othersuitable material supported on the upper end of the flan'ge l0 directsthe preheated air stream toward the center of the pot outlet I! and thusassists in thoroughly mixing the vaporized fuel and air for completecombustion.

At high fuel feeding rates combustion of the vaporized fuel and airmixture takes placein the upper part of the pot and is completed at orabove the outlet i1 upon mixture of the burn- I ing gases with thepreheated air entering. through the, annular port 35. As the feedingrate is diminished combustion occurs at progressively lower levels inthe pot, the'particular zone or level being determined by the bafflestructure l2 s in conformity with the rate or fuel feed. r The baillestructure l2 comprises a plurality an annular segment arranged invertically and horizontally staggered relation around the inner walls ofthe pot 5. Thus. .in the exemplary burner, the bailie structure includestwo upper rbaffle plates 40 and 4| each of such length as to subtend anarc of approximately 120. The up- :To'facilitate manufacture andassembly, the

lower baflie plates 42 and 43 are divided into sections 42a, 42b, 43aand 43b, respectively, and one section of each plate is formed as a unitwith one of the upper plates. Accordingly, s shown in Fig. 4, one of thebaflie units comprises the upper plate 40 and sections 42a and 43b ofthe lower plates 42 and 43 connected together by rigid vertical members44 and 45 extending between the ends of the upper plate and the adjacentfaces I of the respective lower plate sections. The baflle pot.

4 elements or plates and the members are preferably formed as a unitarycasting.

The other baflie unit is similar to that'above described comprising theupper plate 4| and sections 42: and 43a of the lower plates 42. and 43.

Accordingly these units when installed within the pot define an annularseries of baiiie plates with alternate plates overlapping those adjacenteach end thereof and spaced vertically therefrom.

For supporting the baflie units in the pot 5, brackets 46 and 41 areprovided on the side walls l4 of the bottom member 20 of the pot. Thebrackets are preferably in'the form of nibs or lugs struck inwardly fromthe walls i4. As herein shown, two of the brackets 46 are formed onopposite sides of the member 20 closely adjacent the upper edge thereoffor coaction with projections 48 on the outer edges of the upper ballleplates 40 and 4| which also act to hold the baillev plates in spacedrelation to the side walls of the The brackets 41 are spacedsubstantially below the brackets 46 and are positioned for coaction withprojections 49 on the outer edges of the baiile plate sections 42a, 42b,43a and 43h. Lugs 50 struck in the side walls l4 between each pair ofbrackets 41 engage in recesses 5| formed by notches in adjacent cornersof the plate sections to accurately locate the baflle units in the pot.Upstanding lugs 52 on the abutting ends of the baflle sections 42a, 42b,43a and 43bassist in the alinement of thebaflle units. I

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be observed that thebrackets 46 and 41 arevlocated so as to hold the baiile plates at aninclination effective 'to deflect the rising gases'upwardly toward thecenter of the pot. Moreover, the baflle plates are located, so that atleastone row of air inlet ports I8 open below the lower baille plates 42and 43 while ports of another row open between the lower plates and theuppe plates 4| and 42 and the remaining ports open above the upperplate. The proper amount of air for comof ports I 8 and a portion isdeflectedinwardly of baflle elements or plates each in the form oftoward the center of the pot by the inclined lower baflie plates 42 and.43.

At intermediate and high fuel feeding rates,

I combustion takes place in the vicinity of or above the upper set ofbattle plates 40 and 4|, the rising fuel and air being thoroughly mixedby the action of both the upper and lower sets of baiiies and the potwalls. The gases rising between the lower baflle plates 42 and 43 aredeflected in wardly by the upper baflle plates 40 and 4| across thecurrents set up by the lower bafile plates. The thorough mixing of thefuel and air by the 1 joint action of the baffles and the pot wallsinsures complete and efiicient combustionof the fuel.

Burners constructed as above described have been found to have superioroperating characteristics as compared with prior pot type burners.

The .baflie structure coacts with the bowl-shaped fuel receptacle or potin producing a more thorough and intimate mixture of vaporized fuel andair while at the same time maintaining a smooth Thus the outwardldiverging side walls 14 of the lower section 20 of the pot permit thefuel vapors rising from the bottom of thepot. to ex position of thebaflie plates, pockets for trapping I the gases are eliminated; The fueland air mixture, therefore, burns cleanly and without pulsations orflickering even at the lowest fuel feeding rates.

A similar deflecting action with further mixing of the vaporized fueland air is obtained at the upper row of baflie plates 40 and 4|. Thegases deflected in this instance are mainly those which have passed upbetween the ends of the lower baflie plates and such gases are directedcrosswise of the flow stream produced by the lower baffle plates so asto promote thorough mixing with .the air entering through the upperports l8. A smooth even flow is maintained, however, by reason of theinclination of the said upper baflie plates, thus insuring cleanpulsationless burning of the fuel at intermediate fuel feeding rates.

The intimate mixture and the smooth flow of the gaseous fuel and air atall fuel feeding rates permits rapid change from low fire to high fireoperation. Moreover, in combination with the inwardly directed flow ofpreheated air through the annular port 35, it promotes clean and comfuelburns cleanly and without pulsations or flickering at any selectedfeeding rate.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a fuel receptacle ofgenerally spherical contour having a central opening at the top and aplurality of air inlet ports disposed both above and below the medianplane of the receptacle, means for supplying liquid fuel to saidreceptacle, the portion of said receptacle below said plane forming achamber with radially diverging side walls adapted to confine the liquidfuel to a relatively smallarea while permitting rapid initial expansionof the same when vaporized, and a plurality of arcuate baflie platesarranged around the side walls of the receptacle, said baflie platesbeing inclined upwardly toward the center of the receptacle forcooperation with the walls of the receptacle in the mixing of thevaporized fuel and air.

2. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a fuel receptacle ofgenerally spherical contour having a central opening at the top and aplurality of air inlet ports disposed above and below the median planeof the receptacle, means for supplying liquid fuel to said receptacle,the portion of said receptacle'below said plane forming a chamber withradially diverging side walls adapted to confine the liquid fuel to arelatively small area while permitting rapid initial expansion of thefuel when vaporized, a plurality of arcuate baflie plates arranged instaggered relation around the walls of said chamber in differentvertically spaced planes, and means for supporting said baflie plates onthe walls of said chamber.

3. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a fuel receptacle includinga generally hemispherical vaporizing chamber having a bottom wall andside walls diverging sharply outwardly and upwardly therefrom so as toconfine the liquid fuel to a relatively small area while permittingrapid initial expansion of the fuel when .vaporized, means for supplyingliquid fuel to said receptacle, and a, plurality of baflie platesarranged in staggered relation around said diverging walls in differentvertically spaced planes, said baflie plates being inclined upwardly andinwardly from said walls.

4. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a

fuel receptacle constructed of sheet metal stampings comprising 7 asubstantially hemispherical bottom member forming a fuel vaporiz ingchamber, means for supplying liquid fuel to said receptacle, a topmember in the form of a spherical segment adapted to be mounted oversaid bottom member, each of said members having a, plurality of sets ofinlet ports for admitting air for mixture with the vaporized fuel, and abaiiie structure including a plurality of baffle plates supported withinsaid bottom member with certain of said plates located above thelowermost set of ports and other of said plates located above theuppermost set of ports of the bottom member. I

, 5. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a cylindrical casing, apartitioning member extending across said casing and having a centralopening encircled by an upwardly extending annular wall, a fuelreceptacle of generallyspherical contour constructed of upper and lowersections meeting in a medial plane, means for supplying liquid fuel tosaid lower section, each of said sections having a plurality of airinlet'ports and said upper section having a central opening, flanges onthe meeting edges of said sections, and brackets on said partitioningmember engageable with said flanges to secure the top and bottom memberstogether and to support the assembled members in predetermined spacedrelation to the opening in the partitioning member, the wall encirclingsaid opening coacting with the top section to define an annular airpassage opening adjacent the top of the receptacle.

6. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a stove casing, apartitioning member extending across said casing and having a circularopening, a fuel receptacle 01' generally spherical contour supported onsaid member and disposed substantially coaxially in said opening, meansfor supplying liquid fuel to said receptacle, an annular inwardlyconverging flange upstanding from said partitioning member andencircling the upper portion of said receptacle to define therewith anair passage terminating in an annular port opening adjacent the top ofthe receptacle, and a. fire ring supported on said flange and extendingover said port, said ring being shaped to deflect inwardly and upwardlythe air discharged through said port.

'7. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a fuel receptacle ofgenerally spherical contour having a central opening at the top, meansfor supplying liquid fuel to said receptacle,an annular member enclosingthe upper portion of said receptacle and deflning therewith'acylindrical air passage terminating in an upwardly opening annular theair entering through the port.

8. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a fuel receptacle includingan upper section defining acombustion chamber, a generally hemisphericallower section defining a vaporizing chamber for liquid fuel, means forsupplying liquid fuel to said vaporizing chamber, a plurality of arcuatebaflie plates supported in the upper part of said vaporizing chamber attwo vertically spaced levels,'said bottom sectionhaving a set of airinlet holes located below the bailie plates at the lower level andanother set of air inlet holes located between the baflie plates, saidbaflie lates coacting with the hemi-spherical walls said bottom sectionto thoroughly mix the vaporized fuel with air entering through saidholes and to direct the same into said combustion chamber.

9. In a liquid fuel burner, in .combination, a a fuel receptacleincluding an upper section defining a combustion chamber, a lowersection having a substantially fiat bottom with hemi-spherical sidewalls rising directly from said bottom, means for supplying liquid fuelto said lower section, said lower section having a plurality of sets ofair inlet ports adjacent its upper end, the hemispherical walls of saidlower section serving to confine liquid fuel'to a relatively small areaat the bottom of the section while permitting substantial expansion ofvaporized fuel prior to its mixture with air entering through saidports, and a plurality of baille plates supported on the walls of saidlower section, said baflle plates being arranged invertical andhorizontal staggered relation with certain of said baille plates located.above the lower set of inlet ports and others located above the upperset of inletports whereby to produce a crosswise flow of vaporized fueland air to effect a thorough'mixing of the same.

10. In a liquid fuel burner, in combination, a fuel receptacleincludingan upper section defining a ,combustion chamber, a lowersection 8 having a substantially flat bottom of relatively small areawith side walls diverging sharply outwardly and somewhat upwardlytherefrom,-"said lower. section defining avaporizing chamber for liquidfuel, means for supplying liquid fuel to said vaporizing chamber, and aplurality of generally arcuate baflle plates supported in the upper partof said vaporizing chamber at two vertically spaced levels, said lowersection having sets of air inlet ports located respectively below andbetween the baflic plates at said two levels, said bafiie plates beinginclined upwardly and inwardly from the side walls of said lower sectionfor cooperation therewith in thoroughly mixing vaporized fuel and airand directing the mixture upwardly into said combustion chamber,in asmooth even flow adapted to insure clean pulsationless combustion of thesame- HERBERT M. REEVES.

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